Richard Woodward is Lecturer in Global Business at Technological University Dublin. He is a political economist specialising in the institutions of global governance (especially the OECD), diplomacy, and soft power in world politics. His current research has three strands. The first examines the OECD’s evolving role in global governance, especially in the context of the current challenges confronting the liberal international order. The second explores attempts by states to acquire soft power as a means to achieving influence in global politics. Looking beyond the conventional focus on contemporary megaevents, this research investigates how states have appropriated a diversity of sporting achievements and occasions to amplify their diplomatic messages. Finally, I am working with economists to apply novel techniques, most notably unconditional quantile regression methods, to understand a range of contemporary problems including wellbeing and the motherhood penalty. He has published widely on international organisations and global governance including three books The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (Routledge, 2009, second edition 2022) and (with Michael Davies) International Organizations: A Companion (Edward Elgar 2014). His work has also appeared in leading journals including New Political Economy, The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Political Quarterly, Economics Letters and Technovation. He has held visiting positions at the University of Tasmania and the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) and is a Non-Resident Fellow at Trends Research and Advisory in the UAE.